By MARIE-THERESE NANLONG
PLATEAU, a culturally rich state in North Central Nigeria, faces threats beyond insecurity. Its indigenous languages and cultural identities are also disappearing. The state is home to a diverse array of ethnic groups, including Afizere, Amo, Anaguta, Attakar, Atten, Bache, Bashar, Berom, Bijim, Bogghom, Buji, Bwall, Bwarak, Chakfem, Doemak, Duguza, Fier, Firan, Gamai, Gus, Ibaas, Irigwe, Jere, Janji, Jipal, Jhar, Jukun, Kadung, Koenoem, Kulere, Karama, Kwagalak, Lemoro, Mhiship, Merniang, Mupun, Mushere, Mwaghavul, Ngas, Nteng, Piapung, Piti, Pyem, Ribina, Ron, Pai, Runzu, Sigdi, Takkas, Tal, Tambes, Taroh, Tarya, Tehl andYoum.
Despite this rich diversity, many of these languages are no longer widely known or spoken, even within the state, where English and Hausa dominate communication. According to the 2010 edition of UNESCO’s Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, Nigeria has between 400 and 500 languages, with 115 considered endangered and 25 critically endangered. UNESCO emphasises that every language carries unique cultural, spiritual and ecological knowledge, and its loss is a profound loss to human heritage.
For example, Pyem, spoken in the Mangu local government area (LGA), has an estimated 3,000 speakers. Iguta, spoken by the Anaguta people of Jos North, has similarly few speakers. These languages face extinction not only due to dwindling numbers but also because they are under-documented and experiencing language sh ifts and adulteration.
Causes of linguistic decline
Dr Charles Dickson, a social critic, described the situation as “the vanishing tongues,” adding, “The erasure begins with a name.” He further noted: “The guava tree in Bidabidi stands crooked, a silent witness to the renaming. The children laugh when you speak of Behwol or Ahol, names that once rooted families to this land. Now, it is Bidabidi, born from the mangled pronunciation of ‘PWD’ (Public Works Department). This is not mere rebranding; it is linguistic surgery without anesthesia.”
According to him, renaming by road projects, mining companies or colonial impositions erodes identity. He said: “On the Plateau, names are rewritten by road projects, mining companies (Alheri replacing Kagara), or colonial echoes (Mista AM from McAllen). Each change severs a thread to history, identity, and sovereignty. When militias invade, they burn villages first, then rename the land. Some call it ‘clash.’ We call it erasure by semantics, and it is how languages die.”
He attributed language extinction to dominant language pressure, which places Hausa and English at the centre of markets, schools and media. “Parents increasingly choose ‘prestigious’ languages over indigenous ones, breaking intergenerational transmission,” he explained. Dickson also condemned economic intrusion and the negative impacts of urbanisation and road construction, lamenting how they strip communities of cultural significance.
He stated: “Mining companies like Alheri and infrastructure projects rename old spaces, Dogon Karfe, Gamajigo, burying original toponyms like Giring or Behwol. To lose a language is to lose ecological knowledge, oral histories, and identity. The Anaguta’s Rite-Ruja (‘head of the forest’) becomes Rafin Gwaza, a sterile, imposed label that carries no memory.”
He challenged the mindset that discourages the use of mother tongues in schools and homes, asking: “Is it economic survival, or internalized colonialism? Plateau’s languages are not dying, they are being killed. The renaming of Ahol to Bidabidi, or Kagara to Alheri, is the first bullet. This investigation must expose the triggermen: apathy, economic greed, and systemic complicity. As the last speakers fade, we ask: Will Plateau’s children inherit names, or namelessness?”
Professor Lengji Danjuma, a Professor of Generative Syntax at the University of Jos, echoed this concern during the 112th Inaugural Lecture of the institution titled: A Verb is a Doing Word: Is it True? Explaining the Universality of Language. He warned that “The lack of frequent speaking of native languages has made many languages go extinct across the globe,” and urged mothers in particular to teach and speak indigenous languages at home.
Battling for survival
Despite these challenges, a quiet cultural revival is underway, led by committed natives. Samuel Timbau, the President of the Amo Development Association, is leading efforts to preserve the Amo language. “We are developing alphabets and documenting proverbs,” he explained. Other natives are trying to translate some books of the Bible into indigenous tongues.
Institutions are also stepping up. The National Museum in Jos is actively promoting the use of indigenous languages.
According to the Museum’s Curator, Mr Linus Kingi, the institution is committed to preserving intangible cultural elements. “People often associate museums with material culture, the things you can see and touch. But we are committed to preserving intangible cultural elements like spoken languages, traditional songs, dances, and performances,” he said.
He disclosed that events such as International Museum Day and International Mother Language Day are leveraged to encourage the use of native languages. He added: “This year’s International Children and Youths Day celebration saw an influx of pupils from primary and secondary schools who showcased dances and songs in their native languages. We may not have featured every language, but we ensured that the mother tongue was dominant in the performances.”
Kingi expressed concern over the growing trend of parents preferring English at home: “Unfortunately, many parents see speaking English at home as a symbol of status and modernity, but this deprives children of learning their mother tongue during their most formative years.”
The museum, he added, is responding by integrating local dialects into exhibitions and encouraging communities to maintain traditional structures on museum grounds. “During exhibitions, traditional names and meanings of artefacts are provided in local dialects. Beyond that, we encourage ethnic communities to maintain cultural structures on the premises using local materials, to ensure authenticity and pride in heritage.”
Despite funding challenges and declining public interest, Kingi remains optimistic. “The current government is beginning to pay attention,” he said. He called on individuals, NGOs, and educational institutions to partner with the museum. “The museum belongs to the people. When they see it as theirs and partner with us, we can do so much more in promoting our diverse cultures and languages. When visitors come and see youths performing in their mother tongue, dressed in traditional attire, there is a sense of pride. That is what we are working to sustain, “he added.
Preserving Plateau’s endangered languages begins with pride in one’s mother tongue, a nd the earlier that pride is cultivated, the better the chances of survival.